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Wldcup - Asian champions Japan hope to
gain momentum in their bid to reach the 2006 World Cup with a friendly
against Kazakhstan Saturday and then Syria before their qualifying
showdown against mysterious North Korea.
Japan were seeded separately from bitter rivals South Korea in the Asian
final qualifying round, but face a far from easy ride to next year's
tournament in Germany.
The Asian champions have been drawn in a so-called "group of death" that
includes mighty Iran, fast-improving Bahrain and political nemesis North
Korea.
After the tune-up matches against Kazakhstan and Syria next Wednesday,
Japan will face a real test on February 9 when they play host to North
Korea, with the game taking place amid mounting political tension
between the countries.
North Korea remain "one of Asia's mystery teams", as the website of
football's world governing body FIFA puts it, with the communist state
keen to defeat the country it denounces daily through its official
media.
"We definitely want to get off to a flying start by winning the first
game and gain the momentum. It is the most important," Japan coach Zico
said of the North Korea game at the Saitama stadium near Tokyo.
"We are determined to go for scoring goals at any risk in our first two
home games against North Korea and Bahrain," the Brazilian legend said.
Bahrain play in Japan on March 30.
"By crushing them solidly at home we can take a mental advantage in away
games like we did against Oman in the first round", when Japan needed
only a draw to reach the final round, Zico said.
Zico believes Japan can beat the North Koreans, who come mostly from the
"April 25" Korean People's Army team, if his players play 100 percent,
saying Japan has matured after learning to live without their
Europe-based stars.
Japan was without key players such as Hidetoshi Nakata of Fiorentina,
Shinji Ono of Feyenoord and SV Hamburg striker Naohiro Takahara when
they defended the Asian Cup in August by beating hosts China in Beijing.
"When I was appointed as the coach, I was groping for a way to do my
job. My players considered me to be 'a famous player'. But since we
started gaining good results, they started treating me as Zico who
coaches Japan," said Zico, who took over in July 2002.
"After winning the title without Europe-based stars, we gained a great
amount of confidence and strong wills which never ease off. It has a
good effect on the Europe-based players, too.
"They cannot simply make the regular starting line-up whenever they join
the team now. They now feel like they will be dropped out unless they
contribute to a win as one of the team's gears," added Zico.
North Korea stunned the world by advancing to the quarter-finals of the
1966 World Cup finals in England, their only appearance on the world
stage, by upsetting European giants Italy.
But North Korea have cloistered the team for 10 years of intense
training after they failed to qualify for the US World Cup in 1994.
Japan finished the first qualifying round top of their group after
winning all six qualifiers, while North Korea ended with three wins, two
draws and a loss.
Japan have four wins, three draws and four defeats against North Korea
in overall matches, while they have beaten Bahrain on their two previous
meetings. Against Iran they have four wins, four draws and five defeats.
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